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The Barcelona chief executive, Òscar Grau, has claimed his club are prepared to make another attempt to sign Philippe Coutinho when the transfer window opens in January.

The Catalan club had three offers for the Brazil international rejected by Liverpoolduring the summer window, the third worth up to €130m (£116.7m) following Coutinho’s decision to submit a transfer request at Anfield.

Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, held firm on its insistence Coutinho would not be sold regardless of the staggering sums being offered by Barcelona and its stance is not expected to change midway through a season. FSG’s position is strengthened by the five-year contract, without a release clause, that the 25-year-old signed in January.

Grau, however, has confirmed the Brazilian remains a target for the La Ligaleaders, albeit with the proviso that any January incomings must be offset by departures. “We are ready to buy Coutinho in the winter market, or any player the technical staff request,” Barcelona’s chief executive said. “But it is important to adjust ourselves, so if there are to be arrivals, there must be exits as well. We must forget about the price paid for Neymar last summer. After taxes we received about €188m in income and a direct financial impact on the club’s treasury of €144m.”

Since returning to Jürgen Klopp’s side after a back injury, Coutinho has shown no sign of being distracted by his failed transfer attempt to leave. The playmaker has scored in his last three appearances for Liverpool and will carry even greater responsibility for Klopp’s team with Sadio Mané sidelined for up to six weeks by a hamstring injury sustained on international duty.

Liverpool host their arch-rivals Manchester United on Saturday and are seven points behind José Mourinho’s side with only seven league matches played.

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Everytime I try to get out, they pull me back in. Looks like we're far from safe until the summer here but I can't see the club sanctioning a sale in January unless it was something along the lines of the Keita sale that we agreed last summer.

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Everytime I try to get out, they pull me back in. Looks like we're far from safe until the summer here but I can't see the club sanctioning a sale in January unless it was something along the lines of the Keita sale that we agreed last summer.

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Perhaps this is the new norm, transfer and contract agreed in January - then let him play out of his skin to make Brazil squad in Russia and leave in the summer.

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Barca are a shower of muppets, they basically tell everyone they have plenty of money before approaching a player! Piss of the selling club so much so that they won't sell on principle or would rather sell elsewhere!
Now where have I heard that approach before.......

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He's out for Saturday.That's him,Mane,Lallana,Wijnaldum,Clyne definitely out and Lovren and Gomez are doubts.Could be a handy enough team selection for Klopp for this one.

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Thankfully Milner has looked very bright and Ox has shown glimpses of quality too the past few games because we really need them right now. I know people were frustrated with our summers work but we simply could not have operated if we had the injuries we currently have and the squad we had last year. That we can still field a strong lineup with those players (all of whom are starting 11 on a good day I'd argue) missing is a testament to the fact that we've at least added depth to our squad.